Tualatin Police To Begin Carrying Narcan, An Opioid Overdose Emergency Treatment

TUALATIN, OR — Police in Tualatin on Thursday announced officers will begin carrying Narcan in their patrol vehicles in order to help prevent deaths caused by opioid overdose.

Narcan, officially known as naloxone, can be administered nasally to people suffering overdose caused by opioid drugs like heroin or fentanyl, police said. The Narcan kits were funded through a grant from the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program. Additional kits were supplied by Metro West Ambulance, police spokeswoman Jennifer Massey said.

WATCH: Multnomah County Nasal Naloxone Training Video

Tualatin officers were trained how to use Narcan by certified instructors, Massey said, noting the decision to carry Narcan is part of the department's goal to raise local awareness about the opioid crisis.

"(Carrying Narcan) will provide an extra tool for responding officers, allowing them to provide an additional life saving measure to individuals under the effects of a drug overdose," Massey told Patch in an email Friday. "We have seen a significant rise in overdose related deaths throughout Washington County and surrounding regions. Officers now have the ability to administer Narcan in an effort to increase the survival rate of someone having an overdose.

"As first responders, our main objective is to protect and save lives," Massey added.

Click here for more information on opioid addiction and prevention.

This post was updated to include comments from Tualatin Police Department spokeswoman Jennifer Massey.

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